The God Receiver

There is a brief section in Luke when the infant Jesus was presented at the temple. Part of this section is where we hear about Simeon.

Luke 2:25 (NASB Strong’s)

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

The Greek Orthodox Church honors Simeon with the title “The God Receiver”. I suspect this is because they speak Greek and see a subtlety in this verse we miss. When we see the word “looking” they see προσδέχομαι which of course means look but also alludes to receiving. Simeon wasn’t just looking, he was actively expecting to receive. (Read here about receiving)

What was he expecting to receive? The consolation of Israel or the comfort of Israel. God being present in the nation in the form of Jesus produced the opportunity for comfort. Today God is still present with us in the form of His Holy Spirit who is called Comforter.

Perhaps when reading about Simeon we could think of the phrase “looking, waiting, and expecting to receive the consolation or comfort of his nation”. Resolve today to follow the pattern of Simeon. Be mindful of of righteousness, hang on and be devout, and look expecting to receive the Comforter who is the Answer for our nation.

Published by Eric M. Johnson

I am a follower of Christ, husband to a beautiful worshiper, and father to two amazing sons. My day job is at a great company in which I am fortunate to be a partner. I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and a Master of Science Degree in Information Systems. I enjoy studying God's Word and have taken several graduate level Biblical Studies courses, never in pursuit of a degree. In my free time I enjoy traveling, outdoors, and sports. I am an Iowa Hawkeye fan which is a character building experience.

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